Express Employment Professionals’ America Employed and Canada Employed series explore the state of employment in North America, including everything from hiring expectations and HR challenges to job seekers’ optimism and shrinking the skills gap. Learn about the latest insights uncovered in a recent Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey.
As summer unfolds, many employers are taking a hard look at their hiring plans, and what they see is prompting a more cautious approach. A new survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals reveals that while most hiring managers still feel positive about their company’s hiring outlook for the remainder of 2025, that optimism has dimmed since last fall. At the same time, concern is growing.
Shifting Sentiments of U.S. Hiring Managers
Shifting sentiments are leading to a more restrained hiring strategy:
- One-third expect to hold steady, while 7% anticipate cutting back.
- 58% of companies plan to increase their workforce in the second half of the year.
- This is a noticeable drop from 63% in the fall of 2024.
Canadian Companies’ Hiring Plans
The types of roles companies are targeting are also evolving:
- 25% of companies plan to hire for part-time roles.
- Companies are now most likely to hire mid-level employees (46%) as entry-level hiring (43%) has dropped sharply compared to last year (56%).
- Full-time positions remain the most sought-after at 74%.
Read more about the latest employment insights in America Employed at ExpressPros.com and Canada Employed at ExpressPros.ca.
